


A Test Of Will

by RaeDMagdon



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Alex gets kidnapped and Olivia goes undercover to rescue her, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, And between them, Attempted Kidnapping, Biting, Dubious Consent, F/F, Heat Induction, Kidnapping, Knotting, Marking, Mating Bites, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Medical Procedures, Omegaverse, References to sex slavery, The only sex is consensual, There is no sexual assault, Undercover, but be careful, demeaning language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:14:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25774186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaeDMagdon/pseuds/RaeDMagdon
Summary: Olivia goes undercover to save Alex from a dangerous situation -- a situation that tests the limits of her own control.
Relationships: Olivia Benson/Alexandra Cabot
Comments: 26
Kudos: 266





	A Test Of Will

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: I’d classify this story as dubcon, simply because Alex is kidnapped and given a shot to induce her heat, but the only sex that takes place is between her and Olivia, and it reads in a pretty consensual way. Just be cautious.

Sore. Every part of Alex’s body was sore: her arms, her throat, and especially her head. Her mouth was painfully dry, and although it was too dark to see, she could tell her vision was blurry. She attempted to roll on her side, hoping to snuggle further beneath the blankets… only there weren’t any blankets. She wasn’t in bed. Her cheek pressed against something cold, hard, and rough, almost like concrete.

Shit. It  _ was _ concrete. She was propped against a wall of some kind, and her body hurt because it was covered in bruises.

Instinctively, Alex tried to sit up. She couldn’t. Her arms had been wrenched behind her back, bound at the elbows. She called out, but the only noise she managed to make was a muffled whimper. Someone had stuffed a gag in her mouth, which explained the parched, cottony sensation on her tongue.

Since she couldn’t move, her mind raced instead.  _ I’m tied up. Don’t know where I am. I’ve been abducted. But who would… _

Velez. It all made sense. He’d already tried to kill her once to prevent her from bringing his organization down. Apparently, he’d decided to give it another try, only this time, he’d arranged for her to be kidnapped instead of shot in the middle of the street.

Alex wasn’t sure whether to be terrified or relieved. So far, this was better than bleeding out onto the sidewalk, staring up into Olivia’s tear-streaked face as unbearable coldness crept in from her fingers and toes, threatening to overtake her heart. But Velez couldn’t keep her in this room indefinitely. Her situation had the potential to get much worse.

The sound of approaching footsteps sent a panicked jolt through Alex’s body. She tried to wrench her arms free, but only succeeded in tipping sideways. She cursed around the gag as her shoulder hit the floor, and her glasses slid part-way off her nose. Fear flooded her system — without her glasses, she was pretty much blind — but it was too dark to see anyway.

Her other senses heightened, allowing her to catch the somewhat muted scent of unfamiliar betas, and hear voices that seemed to come from the other side of a door.

_ “Yeah. Boss says he wants her sold at tonight’s auction.” _

_ “Seriously? Sure, she’s fresh, but it takes a couple days to get a good price on a quality bitch like this. Gotta give enough top-tier buyers time to see the merchandise.” _

_ “You wanna be the one to tell him that? Be my guest.” _

Alex’s stomach lurched. Bile burned the back of her throat. They weren’t going to… they couldn’t possibly mean to… But the conversation was impossible to misinterpret. Her job had opened her eyes to all kinds of horrors, and she knew this sort of thing happened far more often than most people wanted to admit. She’d just never imagined it could happen to her: a sentiment she’d heard other survivors express many times.

_ “I’m just saying, he’ll get a raw deal…” _

The door opened, and Alex made the split-second decision to fake unconsciousness. Hopefully, her captors would be less intent on guarding her if they thought she was still passed out. A blinding streak of light hit the middle of her face, and she tried her best not to respond as it burned her eyes through the closed lids.

“…but not as raw as this one, right?”

The tip of someone’s shoe nudged Alex’s face, but she remained as limp as possible, letting her face slide back to the floor.

“Still out cold.”

The second voice laughed. “As long as she’s awake and squirming for whoever buys her.”

“The shot should take care of that. Come on, let’s load her up.” 

Rough hands seized her by the shoulders, and although Alex measured her breaths carefully, her heart hammered fast and wild. She prayed her rapid pulse wouldn’t give her away, but neither of the betas noticed as they lifted her up. Their scents were sourer up close, and she almost flinched as one of them palmed her thigh through her ripped panty hose.

“Cool it, asshole. Her price’ll plummet if you get your paws all over her.”

“Just shut the fuck up and carry her.”

_ “You _ shut the fuck up and carry her. It ain’t like she’s heavy… or she wouldn’t be if you were doing your goddamn job.”

Alex remained slack in their arms as they carried her into a dimly lit hallway. Nevertheless, it was brighter than the room she’d been kept in. Shadowy shapes fluttered before her eyelids. Doors? Furniture? Other people? She couldn’t tell.

Her captors paused. “You gonna get that, or what?” one of them snapped.

Alex heard the sound of another door being opened, and the smell of gasoline hit her nose. That meant they were about to drive her somewhere. Maybe she could steal a glimpse of where they were taking her…

“You forgot to blindfold her,” a third voice said — an alpha, Alex knew without a doubt. His voice was soft, almost posh, but his scent curdled in her mouth, and the urge to retch returned. She barely swallowed the impulse.

“She’s out cold,” one of the betas said.

“Irrelevant. If you won’t follow the rules for transport — very simple rules, I might add — she won’t be allowed in my establishment.”

Still grumbling, the betas shifted her around, and Alex felt one of them snatch her glasses off her face before replacing them with a blindfold.  _ So much for seeing some kind of landmark. _ She had to come up with another plan, and fast, if she wanted to help Liv and the other detectives find her…

_ Liv. Liv will find me. I know she will. _

Despite the overwhelming terror she felt, that thought kept Alex relatively calm as Velez’s henchmen hauled her toward some kind of vehicle and dumped her in the back seat. Olivia had already saved her life once before. Some part of Alex just knew that her favorite detective would do it again.

“I’ll take my own vehicle and meet you there,” the alpha with the smooth voice said, more of a command than a statement. “Be sure to follow the new route I specified.”

“Right,” one of the betas grunted. Then the door closed, and Alex didn’t hear anything for several seconds.

_ “Vehicle,”  _ the other beta said as he entered through what Alex presumed to be the front door. “Can’t he just say car like the rest of us?”

“He’s an asshole,” the first beta agreed. “Cold, too. All those omegas in heat at his place, and it never fazes him.”

_ Omegas? In heat? _ Alex’s heart sank like a stone. Would that be her fate, too? Her heat wasn’t due for another month, but there were drugs that could induce a cycle ahead of schedule.  _ Come on, Alex, don’t get ahead of yourself. Now isn’t the time to panic. _

“What do you think?” the second beta continued. “Stuck-up, or creepy?”

“Heh. Both.”

The engine revved, and the vehicle pulled out of park, driving toward its destination.

***

“You’re sure about this?” Olivia asked, giving the trembling beta her most terrifying alpha stare. His eyes darted to one side, eager to look at anything but her.

“Yeah. I have contacts. Go check it out if you don’t believe me.”

She leaned forward, bracing both palms on the table, and pulled her upper lip back to reveal her teeth. “Oh, we will.”

The beta cringed, scooting as far back in the chair as he could go. Olivia rose from her own seat and stormed out of the interrogation room, deliberately slamming the door behind her.

Elliot and Cragen were waiting in the hallway.

“Think he’s reliable?” Cragen asked, looking from Elliot to Olivia.

“Definitely,” Elliot said. “Liv stunk up the whole room, and he looks like he’s about to piss himself.”

Olivia had to admit her partner was right. Rage seeped from her every pore, so strong she could smell it herself. Normally, she was exceptionally good at controlling her scent and body language. Vulnerable people, especially pups, trusted her precisely because she was a strong alpha without any obvious threatening qualities.

Today, all that control was gone.

_ Six hours. She’s been missing for six hours… _

“Olivia?”

She tensed, realizing several seconds too late that Cragen was addressing her. “Huh?”

“What do you think?”

She looked through the two-way mirror, observing the beta as he squirmed in his seat. His eyes were still wide, frightened.  _ How frightened is Alex right now? She’s all alone… she must be so scared…  _

“I agree with Elliot, sir. I think he’s telling the truth. Velez is the money behind an illegal omega auction ring. According to the source, a guy named “Jason” runs the place for him.”

“No way that’s a real name,” Elliot said.

“Probably not,” Olivia conceded, “but he gave us a physical address just outside the boroughs. We need to check it out ASAP.”

Cragen sighed, pinching his wrinkled forehead. “This is going to get complicated.”

“What are you thinking?” Elliot asked. “Should we call in major crimes?”

“No,” Cragen said. “Alex is one of ours. I want this handled quickly. Major crimes would have to re-start the investigation from the ground up.”

Olivia breathed a sigh of relief. Even the precious seconds spent on this conversation felt like time wasted.

“We can’t just serve a warrant,” Elliot said. “Remember what happened last time? He shot Alex.”

Olivia flinched as if a gun had gone off in the hallway. In a flash, she was there again: kneeling on the street while Alex’s hot blood pumped through her fingers.  _ God, there’s so much… _

She shook herself out of it, as she had several times in the past few weeks. “We need to get someone in there.”

Elliot’s eyes lit up. “Right. Someone who can assess the situation.”

“Undercover?” Cragen pursed his lips. “It’s risky. The DA’s office might not authorize it.”

“It’s Alex,” Elliot said. “Any judge in the courthouse will authorize it.”

While they talked, Olivia tried to get a handle on her body’s reactions. Her protective instincts were in overdrive, and her limbs actually ached from inactivity. She couldn’t stay here in the hallway talking strategy. She had to be out there, looking for Alex. Doing  _ something. _

“I volunteer.”

Elliot and Cragen’s heads turned in unison.

“What?”

“Liv, you’re too close to this.”

Olivia stood firm. “Cragen said it already. She’s  _ ours, _ El.” What she really wanted to say was,  _ she’s mine. _ Even though she had no claim on Alex, she couldn’t deny her feelings the way she usually did. Not in this situation.

Elliot made to protest, but to Olivia’s surprise, Cragen came to her defense.

“Be honest. Could you handle posing as a buyer?”

“Yes,” Olivia said, without a hint of hesitation. It was the only answer she could give.

“She’s a female alpha,” Elliot said to Cragen. “She might stand out.”

Olivia glared at him. “If you’ve got a problem, Stabler, say it to my face.”

He backpedaled furiously. “I’m just saying, female alphas are rarer, and they don’t get involved in this kind of trash as often—”

“Come on. You’ve worked here over a decade. You know evil doesn’t discriminate.”

“She’s right,” Cragen said. “I’m sure she wouldn’t be the first female alpha to visit Velez’s… establishment.”

“Then I’m doing it,” Olivia said, daring Elliot to challenge her further.

Cragen gave her a watery-eyed look, one Olivia recognized as worry. “I’ll make some calls. Stabler, contact SWAT, then requisition some surveillance equipment. Olivia, take a shower.”

Protests rose to Olivia’s lips. “But—”

“If you go in there smelling angry and threatening, you’ll blow your cover.” Cragen’s face softened, and he put a fatherly hand on her shoulder. “This is what you’re good at, Olivia.  _ Use _ it.”

Although she bristled at Cragen’s touch, Olivia had to concede his point. She ducked away and gave him a thin smile. “Sure, Captain.” Before he or Stabler could say another word, she took off down the hall with long strides, clearly a woman on a mission.

_ This is to help Alex,  _ she told herself to keep from going crazy as she entered the alpha locker room. It was blessedly empty, but stank of stale pheromones and acrid bleach. She stripped, throwing her clothes in an empty locker and stepping into the nearest shower stall. She closed her eyes, letting the cold water stream down her face.

_ I’m coming, Alex. I promise. _

***

Some time later — Alex couldn’t be sure how much later — the vehicle stopped. Without opening her eyes behind the blindfold, which she’d managed to push upward by rubbing her face into the seat, she considered her situation. The smell of gasoline and diesel was long gone. The sounds of traffic were light, almost non-existent. That, combined with the amount of time they’d been driving, made her suspect they weren’t in the heart of Manhattan anymore.

_ I wish they’d put me in the trunk. I could’ve tried to get my hands free, punched out the tail light, and waved someone down. _ She’d seen that trick work before. More than one abductee had been rescued because an innocent motorist had spotted a stray hand sticking out the back of a car.

She tried not to think about the fact that victims rarely survived being taken to a secondary location… and, technically, this was the third location Velez’s goons had brought her to. It wouldn’t be easy for Olivia, or anyone else, to track her down after being moved.

The engine’s rumble died down, and Alex heard the familiar sound of buckles being unfastened. Quickly, before the two betas in the front seat could exit the vehicle — a four-door sedan, as it turned out — she bolted upright. Although her hands were still bound, she wiggled into an uncomfortable position that allowed her to try the rear door.

Locked.

_ Damn it! _

The betas rushed to the rear of the sedan. “Ah ah ah,” one of them said, his voice muffled through the window. Unfortunately, the glass did nothing to hide his infuriating smirk. “We thought you might be faking back there.”

Alex averted her eyes. She refused to let him, or anyone else, see the fear in them.

The door opened, and she tensed as the betas hauled her out of the car, pulling the blindfold back down over her eyes. For a moment, her instincts told her to fight, but she suppressed them as best she could. Tied up like this, being held by two male betas who were much stronger than she was, she wouldn’t stand a chance.

_ Okay, new plan. Stay calm. Figure out where you are. Wait for Olivia. _ She dipped deep within herself, tapping into the pool of reassurance that lived there: the certainty that Olivia would come for her.

They didn’t have an official romantic relationship. Not yet, anyway. Only the subtlest of overtures had been made, painfully slow and cautious because of their jobs. But Alex knew that Olivia would work herself to the bone to find a missing colleague, especially a friend. The alpha threw herself into every case like it was the only thing in the world that mattered.

Thinking about Olivia helped Alex regain some focus. She squinted, straining to see beneath her blindfold. In their haste to fix it, the guards hadn’t pulled it down far enough. She could just make out a fairly large two-story building in front of her. Its decorative columns and quirky architecture suggested a theater, but they had pulled up to a back alley rather than park in front, so Alex couldn’t be sure.

“Don’t think about trying anything else,” the first beta snarled in her ear. “Trust me, you’ll regret it.”

Alex didn’t resist as they led her into the building. She couldn’t see much, but the smell inside was overwhelming: a deluge of scented oil and patchouli.  _ It’s strong because it’s covering something up. _ She sniffed again, and had to stop herself from recoiling in the guards’ grip. In her panicked state, she had no trouble picking up the scents of sex and fear underneath.

The betas continued dragging her down a long hallway and shoved her around a corner. She stumbled in her heels — she wished her kidnappers had removed them for ease of transport — but they hauled her on without any sympathy. When they finally came to a stop, a new scent drew Alex’s attention. It was sterile and medicinal, like sanitizer or alcohol wipes.

A door opened. The betas shoved her inside. A lock clicked behind her, and Alex realized they hadn’t come in the room with her. She shook her head to dislodge the blindfold further.

The room was indeed medicinal, complete with cabinets, a stainless steel sink, and supplies. It might have been her general practitioner’s office, aside from the restraints on the exam table. A female omega stood at the counter, typing something on a laptop. She looked up, and Alex shuddered. There was no warmth in that gaze, and her smell wasn’t friendly.

“Sorry about that,” she said in a clipped tone. “I fear your escorts don’t particularly like me."

_ Escorts. How euphemistic. _

The omega turned, and Alex saw that she was surprisingly tall and lanky. “I’m Dr. Smith. Please, take a seat.”

Alex took a faltering step back. This Dr. Smith — she sincerely doubted that was the woman’s real name — carried herself in a supremely unsettling way. Summoning her bravery, Alex turned and positioned her bound hands at the doorknob.  _ Locked again. Why did I even bother? _

“Take a seat,” Dr. Smith said, stepping toward her, “or I’ll be forced to call security.”

Alex whirled back around. “Please, don’t do this,” she begged. Her eyes darted, searching for some kind of escape, but there was none to be found. “If Velez has something on you, I can help. I’m a prosecutor with the DA’s office—”

Dr. Smith stared at her with cold, impassive blue eyes. For an omega, she had quite the forceful tone. In other circumstances, such as a courtroom, Alex might have admired it. “Save us both some time and stop this. Sit.”

With no other options, Alex stumbled over to the exam table and sat. In a small fit of defiance, she kicked off her heels. At least if she got the opportunity, she’d be able to run faster.

“This won’t take long,” Dr. Smith said. “I just need to draw some blood for testing and give you a shot.”

Alex’s heart skipped a beat.  _ A shot? _ She remembered what the guards had said about omegas in heat. There was only one kind of shot a doctor like this would give. She  _ had _ to get out of here, before—

With surprising deftness, Dr. Smith untied Alex’s wrists and fastened them into the restraints. She’d never seen someone’s hands move with such speed and competence. Her heart pounded, and she swallowed around the painful dryness in her throat.

Dr. Smith walked to the counter, returning with an alcohol wipe in one hand and a syringe in the other. Working in eerie silence, she swabbed Alex’s forearm just beneath her elbow, leaving a cold, wet patch on her skin.

Alex looked away. She didn’t want to watch this part.

There was a prick — not painful, but terrifying.  _ Maybe it won’t work,  _ Alex thought, clinging to the last shreds of hope.  _ My heats are pretty light. If this just makes me hot and achy, I can deal with that. I have bigger problems. _

“Done.” Dr. Smith withdrew the needle, covering it with a clear bandaid. She left again, tossing the needle in the biohazard bin — at least, Alex assumed it was the biohazard bin. Without her glasses, her vision was obnoxiously blurry.

In spite of that, she watched Dr. Smith open a cabinet, presumably searching for more supplies. With each second that passed, Alex felt a little calmer: still terrified, but more in control of her racing thoughts.  _ Nothing’s happening yet. Maybe it takes a while to start working. Olivia could get here before anything worse happens. Oh, Liv, please hurry…  _

***

“You sure you’re ready?”

Olivia turned away from the mirror, where she’d been checking to make sure her wire wasn’t visible. Elliot stood beside her in the bathroom, leaning against the wall with his arms folded across his broad chest.

She debated telling him to stuff it, but despite her rising anxiety, she knew his concern was coming from a good place. He didn’t deserve to be reamed for it.

“I’ll feel better when I confirm McCready’s info.”  _ When I know for sure that Alex is in there… that I can get her out. _

Elliot blew out a loud breath, pushing off the wall. “Me too.”

Olivia glanced in the mirror one last time. Her hair was spiked with some light gel, and she wore a few flashy accessories to give the impression of wealth (such as a rolex on her wrist — borrowed from Alex as it turned out). She tried not to think about that part.

A warm hand clasped her shoulder, and she glanced sideways to see Elliot’s slightly hairy fingers. “You can do this, Liv. And I’ll be in your ear the whole time.”

“Thanks, El,” she said, meaning it sincerely.

They exited the bathroom together. Outside, Cragen was waiting in the vacant apartment the NYPD had set up shop in, along with several other officers. Some were in plain clothes, setting up computers and fiddling with speakers. Others were in riot gear, carrying weapons.

Olivia frowned. She had a  _ serious _ distaste for SWAT — they often terrified civilians and caused casualties — but if Velez’s joint business venture with this “Jason” was as big as McCready claimed, they’d need to go in hard and fast. Otherwise, they could end up with a hostage situation.

“Benson,” Cragen said, approaching with a brisk stride. “Are you ready for this?”

She nodded.

“One more test, and we’ll send you in. You remember your contact?”

“Michael Hernandez.”

“Right. Who are you?”

“Alicia Stone,” she recited. “32. Hedge fund manager. Unmated alpha. Interested in some fun.”

_ If any of them so much as gripped her arm too hard, I’ll… _

Cragen stared deep into her eyes, as if searching for something. Olivia blinked, but held his gaze. Whatever he saw seemed to satisfy him, because he nodded. “Grimes, get over here to test Benson’s wire.”

Five minutes later, Olivia was outside, standing alone on the dimly lit street. She shifted from foot to foot, adjusting the collar of her leather jacket.  _ Every second is another second Alex is with  _ them. _ God, I could kill Velez with my bare hands. _

She took a deep breath of the crisp night air, using all the techniques she knew to calm her inner alpha. As angry as it made her to admit it, Cragen and Elliot were right to be worried. She couldn’t afford to blow this because she was pissed. Because someone had dared to take her… her… 

_ What is Alex to me, anyway? _

Olivia knew what she wanted Alex to be. She wanted the omega as her mate. It had taken months to admit her attraction to herself. Several more months to admit the feelings.  _ Years _ to make even the slightest pass, and they were still at the ‘we could both brush this off as a misunderstanding if we wanted to’ stage.

To have all that end? To see the woman she loved hurt or killed because some scumbag thought she was a threat to his ‘business’? She wouldn’t stand for it. She  _ wouldn’t _ fuck this up.

_ “Okay, Liv,” _ Elliot said into her earpiece. “ _ You’re clear to approach. Remember, cough once for yes and two for no…” _

_ “Only if you think it won’t arouse suspicion,” _ Cragen added.  _ “Understood?” _

“Understood. I’m going in.”

Olivia crossed the street. A yellow neon sign reading  _ Apex Theater _ flickered over the building’s entrance, which had tacky decorative columns around an empty ticket kiosk. No one was there. Obviously, someone had made the mistake of running some kind of showhouse  _ slightly  _ outside the boroughs, and ended up failing miserably. Or, that was how the place was meant to look.

Remembering McCready’s instructions, Olivia glanced in both directions, then walked around back. The alleyway behind the building was surprisingly clean. It had no dumpster, and someone had swept recently. The only thing of interest was a back door, complete with visible security cameras, a buzzer, and a comm system.

Olivia adopted a confident swagger as she approached, smirking up at the cameras before pressing the button. The comm system activated with a hissing crackle. No one said anything.

“Alicia Stone,” she said into the speaker. “Michael Hernandez referred me.” She waited, popping her hip casually to one side.

A lock clicked. Olivia tried the handle. The door swung inward, revealing two large, muscular alphas in plain slacks and skintight black security shirts. Their stances weren’t at all welcoming, but Olivia had seen far more frightening things. She stared back coolly.

“Does this mean I can come in?”

“Indeed it does, Ms. Stone.”

A slender man, also an alpha but far less bulky, stepped between the two guards. He wore an expertly tailored suit, and his dark hair was slicked back close to the scalp. He had a soft, soothing voice that nonetheless commanded careful attention.

“You are quite an interesting guest,” he said, looking her up and down. His gaze wasn’t lascivious, but it was certainly intrigued, judging by the brightness of his brown eyes. “Most people wait months for an appointment with us. I received an email about you just today, practically  _ demanding  _ you be allowed to visit our facility.”

Olivia suppressed a smile of triumph. Apparently, McCready had been as good as his word and tapped his contacts to make the appropriate introductions. “I’m afraid patience isn’t one of my virtues,” she said, looking around the hallway. Paintings hung on the walls, and the overhead lighting, while dim, had decorative golden filigree around the bulbs themselves. The place was almost trying too hard to be fancy.

_ Maybe that means the staff here will try hard to impress a customer as well. _

“So, are you going to tell me your name?” She added a layer of alpha entitlement to her voice, and the greeter, despite being an alpha himself, seemed to fall under its sway.

“Jason,” he said, extending his hand. It was small, with impeccably groomed nails.

Olivia shook with an appropriately firm grip. “No last name?”

“Come now. You aren’t here because you’re interested in me.”

“Fair enough.” Olivia placed her hands on her hips, gazing beyond Jason and further down the hallway. A pair of double doors hid whatever lay beyond, and she swallowed.  _ Is Alex somewhere back there? _

“So, will you give me a tour of your establishment?”

Jason was all smiles. “We don’t typically provide tours, but for special clients such as yourself…” He waved his hand, drawing the attention of the guards. “Go and inform security that I will be taking Ms. Stone on a private tour. I don’t want us bothered.”

The two alphas nodded in the affirmative, then departed, their movements surprisingly silent for such large men. Olivia forced herself to adopt a cheerful expression. “Shall we?”

***

Fire crawled beneath Alex’s skin. She whimpered, tugging at her restraints, but they had almost no give. Her entire body was one giant itch she couldn’t scratch, and a flush of frustration covered most of it, making her sweat beneath her clothes.

_ If I could just get one of my hands out… _

She tried to free herself again, even though she already knew it was useless. Worse still, she wasn’t sure exactly what she’d do with her hand if she did manage to squeeze it out of the cuff. Her heart throbbed in her throat, reminding her that she should be terrified, but a second heartbeat had picked up between her legs, and it was just as insistent.

_ The shot. It… I’ve never felt… like this…  _

It wasn’t like her regular heats, which were uncomfortable, but manageable if she took her suppressants. She only had to deal with random hot flashes, the curse of an overly keen sense of smell, and perhaps take a day off work to masturbate through the worst of it. This was different. Unendurable.

She was dizzy, dripping, desperate. Her hips rocked against the empty air, and she was relieved that Dr. Smith wasn’t around to see her in such an embarrassing, devolved state. But being alone was also torturous. She called and called, with her voice, her scent, her very being — but no one was around to hear. Or if they were, they were deliberately ignoring her. It was almost enough to make Alex wish the clumsily-covered smell of sex was back. That would have been better than the lonely sterility of this place.

_ Olivia…  _ As always, Alex’s mind circled back to the attractive alpha detective.  _ Olivia is still looking for me. She’ll find me. Save me… _

Fantasies raced through Alex’s mind, blurry images of Olivia taking out whatever guards this place had — the two betas who had brought her here, maybe. Olivia, bursting into the exam room. Olivia, tearing off her clothes, shoving up her skirt and ripping her stockings, climbing atop her…

The dream was heady enough to ruin Alex’s already-soaked panties. The friction of the wet fabric against her swollen clit was unbearable, and she tensed her thighs and ass, seeking something, anything, to rub against. But somehow, she knew even that wouldn’t be enough to satisfy her. She needed to be stretched. Filled.

_ Liv. Liv, where are you? I need you…  _

***

“And this is the display hall.”

It took a significant effort for Olivia to hide her disgust behind a smile. The building was, as she had guessed, a repurposed theater, but this hallway had been extensively remodeled. It was almost like a classier — if a disgusting, immoral operation like this could ever be called classy — version of a peepshow.

Evenly spaced windows lined both walls, and behind them were small rooms with beds. On those beds lay omegas, all kinds: male and female, with a wide variety of appearances. Most of them were pleasuring themselves.

Olivia forced herself to watch, even though she very much wanted to look away. Despite the heavy smell of sex that permeated the air, the knowledge that these omegas were being held captive quashed any arousal she might have felt before it could emerge.

“We rotate the omegas we have in stock,” Jason continued, gesturing at the windows while they walked. “They’re available to rent, or to purchase for more long-term arrangements. Artificial heats are induced, and once it passes, we retire them for a week or so. Of course, you can request an omega who hasn’t been induced, if you want a bit of a challenge.”

Olivia’s stomach lurched. “Oh, I like my omegas willing,” she said, with a grin that showed her teeth. “The more eager, the better. But do you have anything… fresh? Not that there’s anything wrong with these.” Like Jason, she gestured at the omegas behind the windows. “But I like to spoil myself, you know? If you have any new females that haven’t been broken in yet…”

“Then I might suggest attending one of our auctions. That’s where our most exclusive buyers gather to bid on our newest stock.”

“When’s the next one?”

“Tonight, as a matter of fact.”

A hissing voice came through Olivia’s earpiece: Elliot, excited.  _ “Captain, if we get any potential hostages out of there quick enough, we might be able to turn this into a sting.” _

_ “I like the way you think, Stabler,” _ Cragen said, _ “but let’s not count our chickens before they hatch.” _

“Oh?” Olivia asked. “What’s an alpha gotta do to get an invitation to one of these shindigs?”

Jason gave her a greedy look. “Pay for entry, of course. Although a last minute invitation like this would be more expensive.”

“Money isn’t a problem for me,” Olivia said.

“I assumed as much. We’ll see about getting your name on the list, Ms. Stone. Now, if you’ll come with me…” He beckoned her onward, and Olivia followed — until something hit her nose that stopped her dead in her tracks.

_ Omega. Omega in heat. _

She’d been steeped in the scent of sex ever since entering the building, but the omegas behind the protective glass hadn’t smelled anything like this. This scent was powerful, coaxing,  _ demanding. _ It soaked into her very pores and made her shudder with desire. Suddenly, the front of her expensively tailored pants felt constricting. Blood had rushed to her cock with dizzying speed.

“Ms. Stone?”

It took Olivia several moments to realize Jason was speaking to her. She blinked, trying to clear her head, and was only moderately successful. The smell still hung in a cloud around her, coming from somewhere nearby. As she continued breathing it in, she realized how familiar it was.

_ Alex. _

“She’s here,” Olivia breathed, without thinking about it.

Jason gave her an odd look.

“I mean, I’m here.”

“So you are,” he said, his brow furrowing.

Fortunately, Elliot and Cragen understood her meaning.

_ “Do you have visual confirmation?” _ Cragen asked.

She cleared her throat twice for no.

_ “Then are you sure?” _

She coughed once.

_ “SWAT’s ready. Waiting on your signal.” _

“Sorry,” Olivia said, trying to regain control of the situation. With Alex close by, it was incredibly difficult. “The smell. It’s a bit distracting.”

Jason smiled in understanding, looking considerably more at ease. “Of course. Not in an unpleasant way, I hope.”

“Not at all.”

“Shall we continue, then?”

“Please.”

***

Alex flinched in her restraints as the door opened. Her heart leapt — was it Olivia, come to ease her agony? But no, it was Dr. Smith, wearing a white lab coat and staring down at her clipboard. A keening whine slipped from Alex’s lips, and she took several shallow breaths. Dr. Smith wasn’t who she needed. Not an alpha. Not Olivia.

She ignored the other omega’s approach, still gazing hopefully at the closed but unlocked door in hopes it would open again. Meanwhile, Dr. Smith strapped a blood pressure monitor around her exposed forearm, beneath the rolled-up sleeve of her blouse. It hissed as it tightened, but Alex hardly noticed. She shivered, frustrated by the fact that Dr. Smith’s gloved hands weren’t touching her skin.

_ Wait, what? No, she isn’t Olivia… I don’t want her to touch me. _

But in a few minutes, Alex wasn’t sure she’d care. As much as she longed for her favorite alpha, her flesh craved some kind of contact. Any kind of contact, from anyone at all. Her throat bobbed, and saliva pooled in her mouth as Dr. Smith tucked a thermometer under her tongue. She couldn’t find the will to close her teeth or spit it out.

“Hmm. Your temperature’s up. I suppose the dosage was a little high for you… that, or you’re especially sensitive to the hormones.”

Dr. Smith withdrew the thermometer, and Alex shivered. She tugged at the cuffs automatically, without thinking.  _ It hurts. Oh god, it hurts. I need… I need…  _ Dr. Smith’s face swam in her field of vision, changing shape and coloring. “Please… please, Liv, touch me. I’m burning, please—”

Her pleas were ignored. The figure — was it Olivia? She couldn’t tell anymore — turned away, peeling off her gloves and throwing them in the trash. “Move her to the holding area,” she said, and it took Alex several moments to realize the omega —  _ not Liv, then —  _ wasn’t talking to her. The two betas from earlier had entered the room without her noticing.

“Whoa,” one of them said. “She’s totally out of it.”

“Yeah. What the hell did you give her?”

“Just the usual,” Dr. Smith said. “Now, move her, and make it quick. She’s stinking up my room.”

Dimly, Alex realized she was about to be unbound. A small voice in her head screamed that she should try and escape, but when the cuffs came off, her limbs remained limp and useless. Her fingers grasped at nothing, and she felt the almost unbearable urge to roll over onto her stomach and raise her backside in the air.

She did neither of those things, because the two betas lifted her off the exam table and dragged her out of the room. She stumbled along in bare feet, hardly able to support herself. The room spun, and her head lolled forward.

“Come on,” one of the betas growled, tugging impatiently at her arm.

Alex didn’t have the wherewithal to respond. She could only stagger where they led, down several hallways, around some corners, and into another room. This one had a large circular bed, and one of the walls was made of dark glass. She recognized it as a two-way mirror, but the meaning behind that realization was totally lost on her.

“Hurry and strip her,” the second beta said.

Suddenly, Alex found herself trapped in her blouse as they pulled it over her head. She considered struggling, although whether to get out of the shirt or prevent them from taking it off, she wasn’t certain. Her skin was so sensitive that the whisper of fabric against it felt like a painful sunburn.

Something cool and rough palmed her breast through her bra, and she realized it was one of the beta’s hands. She moaned in spite of herself, but before she could react, it was snatched away. “Come on, dude. I told you before, hands off. We could get in serious trouble.”

“You’ve never complained when I handled the merchandise before…”

“Boss says this one’s special. If someone finds out we messed with her, we’re fucked.”

“Not as fucked as she’s about to be in a few hours.”

The betas shared a laugh as they finished taking off her clothes. In a sick, twisted way, Alex was grateful. In no way, shape, or form did she have enough coordination to remove them herself, and she  _ needed _ to be naked. Needed air against her flesh. Needed a strong alpha on top of her, thrusting into her… 

Alex collapsed on the bed when the betas shoved her in the direction of the mattress. She brought a hand between her legs, trying to cover herself, but ended up sliding her fingers between her drenched lips on instinct. Her own touch was like an electric shock, and she almost jackknifed off the bed

“Have fun,” one of the betas chuckled before they both exited the room, closing the only door.

Tears streamed from Alex’s eyes. She rolled onto her stomach, panting as she slid three fingers inside herself. She didn’t need any preparation. She was wet, open, ready…

Thrusting against the mattress was no help at all. No matter how hard she ground her clit into the heel of her hand, she couldn’t find relief. As always, she thought of Olivia.  _ I’d give anything to be beneath you. To feel you. To have you inside… Liv…  _

She yelped her way through a powerful but wholly unsatisfying orgasm, screwing her eyes shut to try and picture Olivia more clearly. She didn’t care about her fate anymore. She was  _ hungry, _ and only one alpha could satisfy her. The knowledge that the alpha was nowhere nearby was absolutely maddening.

***

“Ms. Stone, please, wait!”

Olivia hurried several yards in front of her escort, struggling not to break out into a full-on run. She’d held it together for a little while, but within the span of a few minutes, her willpower had completely dissolved. Alex was here. She sensed it in her very bones, and she didn’t need directions to follow the right path. Alex’s scent called to her, sweet and pleading. ‘ _ Liv. I’m here. Come find me. Come take me.’ _

She didn’t stop until she arrived at yet another two-way mirror. This one was much larger than the ones in the hallway, and so was the room beyond. A groan of relief and lust combined rushed out from the depths of her chest as she saw who was inside: Alex, blessedly alive, and… masturbating?

Olivia’s legs buckled beneath her.  _ Let me in, _ she wanted to say.  _ I’m here, Alex. Here for you. _ Instead, she gathered what little remained of her self control and turned to Jason, who had just managed to catch up with her. “How much,” she rasped, barely remembering she was supposed to be undercover.

“That one is going up for auction tonight. She’s the main event, so to speak—”

“I’ll pay whatever you want,” Olivia interrupted. “Just let me in there.”

Jason’s forehead wrinkled. “I’m afraid I can’t do that,” he said, with a surprising amount of alpha forcefulness coming from such a slender man.

Olivia responded with a rumbling growl. After a few seconds, she won the silent battle of wills. She took a shallow amount of satisfaction in the way Jason leaned away from her, his eyes darting to the left in an unintentional submissive gesture.

_ “What’s going on?” _ Elliot said in her ear, his voice low and concerned.

Cragen followed up.  _ “Olivia, are you all right?” _

Olivia’s head swam. She couldn’t focus. Couldn’t respond. Her eyes snapped back to Alex, who arched on the bed with her hand buried between her pale thighs. Her mussed blonde hair fell every which way, and her flesh gleamed with a delicious-looking sheen of sweat. Water rose in Olivia’s mouth as she imagined running her tongue over it.

_ I have to get in there. Now. _

She stood toe to toe with Jason, looming over him even though they were close to the same height, and unleashed all her alpha pheromones. No longer did she care about controlling them. “Let. Me. In.”

“I can’t—”

Olivia seized the front of his shirt, bunching the fabric in both fists and hauling Jason’s face close to hers. “Let me in.”

Jason’s eyes went wide with panic. He struggled, trying to free himself, but he was no match for Olivia. The sloppy punch he swung at her face was easy to dodge, and she pinned him to the wall, breathing heavily into his face until the bitter scent of urine caught her nose.

“The code,” he rasped. “1445.”

Olivia’s eyes darted toward the door. She noted the keypad, then considered what to do. She  _ had _ to get in that room. Alex was calling to her. But if she let Jason go, he’d call security. The last thing Olivia wanted was more alphas near her mate… 

“Security!” Jason yelled, his voice loud and shrill beside her ear. “Security, get over here!”

Olivia pulled him into a headlock, but it was too late. Loud footsteps came barreling down the hall as the two alpha security guards rounded the corner. They sped up when they saw Jason with his head under Olivia’s arm, and she reacted on instinct. She shoved him into the wall, watching him crack his head on the door and slump to the floor.

The security guards wouldn’t go down as easily. They converged on her at the same time, trying to trap her between them, but Olivia was too quick. She jammed the heel of her hand into the first guard’s nose with a swift upward strike, then swept the second guard’s legs out from under him. Her blood pumped furiously through her veins, and she heard a loud roar in her ears as battle-lust won out.

_ Alex is  _ mine. _ I’ll fight anyone who comes near her. _

The guard with the bloody nose tried to swing at her, but his vision was impaired, his reflexes too slow. Olivia hit him again in exactly the same spot, relishing the crunch of cartilage. His eyes rolled up in his head, and he fell to the ground in a heap.

Guard number two shouted and grabbed her arms, trying to restrain her. His grip was hard as iron, but he hadn’t bothered to watch her legs. She dispatched him with a swift knee to the groin, causing him to release her and double over in pain. Once she had the use of her arms again, she jammed her shoulder into his sternum and body-checked him into the wall with all the force she could muster.

Thanks to her agility, and his lack of balance, the second guard collapsed. She took a moment to steady herself, breathing heavily. She didn’t think any of her opponents were actually dead — she could see them breathing — but to her horror, she realized she didn’t much care. They were criminals, and if that wasn’t bad enough, they were also  _ competition. _ She wouldn’t allow any other alpha within a hundred yards of her omega.

_ “Liv? Liv, can you hear me? Please respond.” _

Elliot’s voice shouted frantically in her ear, but it was distant, buzzing, annoying. Olivia ripped the earpiece out, shoving it into her pocket. She didn’t need to hear from him anymore. There was only one thing on her mind: the quivering, arching omega behind the two-way mirror.

She hurried to the keypad and punched in the numbers Jason had told her: 1-4-4-5. The door hissed open, and she rushed inside.

***

_ Liv. _

The fantasy of the alpha was all Alex could think about. All she could concentrate on. 

_ Liv. Please, I need you. Please… it hurts…  _

Pain and pleasure wracked her shaking body in equal measure, mingling together until she couldn’t tell the two apart anymore. Her clit was sore from rubbing, and even with three fingers shoved as deep as she could get them, the yawning emptiness remained unbearable.

She chewed her lip, rocking helplessly into her own hand.  _ Not enough. It’s not enough. I need it to be real. Need her… _

Behind her, the door opened. Alex didn’t react to the sound, but the smell that followed drew her undivided attention. It was powerful, pungent alpha — and not just any alpha.

“Liv?” She melted with relief. Her savior had come at last. _Please, don’t let this be a dream…_

She started to roll over, but a low growl from Olivia made her freeze in mid-movement. It said  _ ‘stay’ _ , so Alex remained on her stomach. She was unable to resist the force of the alpha’s wordless command, and not a single part of her wanted to. Instead, she raised her backside high into the air, spreading her thighs wide.

Olivia didn’t make her wait. She clambered onto the bed, and Alex heard the harsh sound of a zipper being pulled down. A jolt surged through her, and wetness gushed around her fingers. She continued thrusting in and out, unable to stop, until Olivia yanked her hand away and pinned it to the mattress.

“Stop,” she said, her voice a half-octave lower than usual. “My job.”

Alex moaned. If Olivia wanted to take over, she had no objections. “Please,” she begged, rocking back in hopes of making contact. “Need you… Liv…” Something warm and firm nudged her entrance, and she choked on her own breath. She tensed, mere moments from ecstasy, as Olivia’s hands grasped her hips and pulled her into a more inviting position.

The first push met barely any resistance. Alex was so wet, so open, that the thick head of Olivia’s cock slid right in. It was large, larger than anything she’d ever taken before, but that didn’t matter. She  _ needed _ to be stretched, and her inner muscles gripped the thick shaft as if its withdrawal might actually kill her.

_ “Fuck. _ So tight.”

Olivia’s hot breath washed over the back of Alex’s neck as she bent forward, attempting to shove herself further. Alex’s upper body sagged until her left cheek and breasts were smushed against the mattress. With Olivia’s weight on top of her, she simply didn’t have the strength to remain upright.

For a few blissful moments, feeling Olivia’s length half-way inside her was enough. The fullness eased the hunger that had been gnawing at her insides, and some of her pain receded. But before she could even breathe a sigh of relief, it all rushed back again, twice as strong as before. She didn’t just need the stretch. She needed movement.

“Move,” Alex hissed, her voice muffled by the sheets. “Please move please-move  _ pleasemove…” _ The two words smeared into one as Olivia started a rhythm, working herself the rest of the way in with short, powerful thrusts. Alex’s limbs went rigid, and her insides dissolved into liquid heat. This was exactly what she had been craving: Olivia, the finest, handsomest, most dominant alpha Alex could have hoped for, moving inside her, plunging as deep as possible.

Her clit twitched as Olivia’s pelvis ground into her ass, trying to push deeper. Each thrust tugged the tight skin around it, teasing her unbearably. She wished she could find some way to apply pressure, but the angle wasn’t right. It was perfect, however, for the blunt head of Olivia’s cock to hammer against her puffy front wall.

One, two, three strokes, and Alex came, yelping as her muscles fluttered. Olivia’s thickness didn’t allow much space for her walls to contract, but its girth hit secret spots she hadn’t even been aware of before. She screamed her throat raw, tears leaking from her eyes. Hot pulses of wetness gushed out, running down her thighs and staining Olivia’s pants.

It was the most intense orgasm of Alex’s life, and yet, her body craved more. So much more. She wanted Olivia to fuck her to exhaustion, until they were nothing more than two quivering, limp bodies tangled amidst the soaked sheets. She flinched as more aftershocks rocked her body, pushing her toward a second peak before she’d properly finished her first. This very well might be the death of her, but what a satisfying way to die.

***

Olivia licked up the side of Alex’s neck with one broad stroke, gathering the omega’s sweat on her tongue. It tasted utterly divine, and once she’d sampled the flavor, she had to have more. She latched onto the crook of Alex’s throat and sucked, drawing hard enough to leave a bruise.

The way Alex trembled and yelped at the possessive treatment further stoked the fire in Olivia’s gut. She growled, sinking her teeth deep into the omega’s sweet flesh and rutting her hips hard. Feeling Alex come around her cock had almost sent her over the edge, but she wasn’t ready to be done. Even in her primal state, some part of her remembered she’d waited years for this moment.

A flicker of sadness rose in her chest as she realized this was their first time. It wasn’t how she’d imagined at all. She’d hoped it would be passionate, but also sweet and slow, with whispers and tender caresses. This was most definitely not sweet. It was raw, savage, and she didn’t have the power to stop.

Not that either of them wanted to stop. From the way Alex’s silky walls squeezed around her, Olivia could tell the omega was just as desperate as she was. She clawed the tops of Alex’s thighs, grunting with each slap of her hips.  _ Harder. Faster. Deeper. _ That was all her short-circuiting brain craved.

A sharp, rasping sensation between Olivia’s legs interrupted her rhythm. She paused, breath hitching with discomfort, until she realized what it was. Her fly had provided enough room for her cock to poke through, but the zipper had begun digging painfully into base of her shaft as it swelled. Her knot was fully inflated, straining to get out of her pants and bury itself in the divine heat before her.

Alex whimpered, clearly disappointed by the lack of movement. The sounds she made spurred Olivia to release her grip and fumble with her pants, shoving them down to mid-thigh in the hopes of freeing herself. It required her to withdraw a few inches from Alex’s satin warmth, but she managed, grunting into the omega’s shoulder as she freed herself.

The moment she rubbed the bulge against Alex’s clenching entrance, the omega howled. It was a broken, desperate noise, one that spoke to the core of Olivia’s soul. Alex started chanting, words slurring together so much it took Olivia a few tries to understand, even with her face hovering close.

_ “Putitin. Put it in. Please, put it in. In, in, ahhh…” _

Olivia pushed forward, and despite the incredible resistance she felt, Alex moaned with unmistakable relief. That encouraged Olivia to continue, which she did with a selfish, urgent rocking motion. Her mate was ridiculously tight, so tight that Olivia wasn’t certain her knot would fit, despite the slickness spilling all over it to ease the way. And yet, by some miracle, Alex’s muscles began to loosen, steadily drawing her in.

At last, the final barrier gave. The widest part of Olivia’s knot slipped forward with a slick pop, pounding in the intense grip of Alex’s muscles. Heat pressed in from all sides, and she lost control. Her eyes rolled back in her head, and she sank her teeth deeper into Alex’s shoulder, biting down hard. No other alpha would ever have this beautiful creature. Alex was all hers.  _ Only _ hers.

Alex struggled beneath her, but not in an effort to escape. She was doing everything she could to nestle Olivia’s knot deeper. Her scent, her taste, her very aura screamed submission, and Olivia had never sampled anything so sweet. To have this beautiful, clever, headstrong omega writhing and wanton beneath her surpassed her wildest dreams.

She came with a powerful shudder, snarling into her hold on Alex’s shoulder as the pressure inside her burst. It had been building for what felt like forever, but released all at once, in a rush of rhythmic spurts. She filled Alex’s core with everything she had, painting the omega’s deepest places.

Alex had been far from silent before, but being knotted and filled seemed to drive her into a frenzy. She  _ screamed, _ clawing the mattress and trembling with another violent orgasm. The sharp spasms caused Olivia to empty even faster. She gave herself over to instinct, determined to possess the absolutely perfect creature beneath her.

***

Feeling Olivia come inside her easily pushed Alex into a second peak. She hadn’t been trying for it — merely processing the overwhelming sensation of being stuffed so full had taken all her concentration — but it happened anyway, with more than a little pain mixed into her pleasure. Olivia’s knot was  _ huge, _ and her muscles strained with the effort to accommodate it.

Each twitch it gave as Olivia spilled caused an echoing throb in Alex’s own body, a sensation which quickly took on a life of its own. She squeezed down, milking Olivia for all she was worth. No matter how hard and fast the alpha emptied, it wasn’t enough. She was hungry for every drop Olivia had to give.

Images flashed through Alex’s mind, heatsick fantasies she couldn’t control, but thoroughly enjoyed. She imagined Olivia’s mark healing into a permanent scar on her shoulder. She imagined Olivia’s come leaking out to stain her thighs, proving exactly who she belonged to if any other alphas dared intrude. She imagined her belly round and full of life.  _ Olivia’s pups. _

She wanted to be marked and claimed like that. Wanted it more desperately than she had ever wanted anything in her entire life. She didn’t care about being abducted, or the shot, or the danger they were undoubtedly still in. As long as she was Olivia’s, none of it mattered anymore.

Alex tried to articulate these things, but her words, the cornerstone of a dazzling legal career, had completely deserted her. She could only summon one, although she hoped it would encapsulate her feelings: “Liv!”

Hearing her own name spurred Olivia onward. She resumed thrusting, claiming Alex over and over with short strokes, since her knot wouldn’t allow her to withdraw completely. Alex didn’t mind. The rolling motion nudged Olivia’s knot directly into her front wall, and she came again — or perhaps it was an extension of her second release. Everything had blurred into an all-consuming haze of desire.

Olivia unlatched from Alex’s sore shoulder, licking greedily at the wound and whispering a stream of filth in her ear. It aligned perfectly with Alex’s fantasies, and she shuddered with each wonderful word. “Gonna  _ breed _ you, Lex. Fill you with my seed. My pups. Let everyone know you’re mine.”

“Yours,” Alex groaned, or at least she tried to. Her articulation wasn’t the best. She could only sob and quake as Olivia spilled a torrent of come inside her, causing her abdomen to swell with the effort of holding it all.

It was a strange, but undeniably pleasurable sensation, one she’d never experienced before. Though she’d had sex with a few alphas in the past, she’d insisted they take suppressants and refrain from knotting her, and they had obliged. It was almost as if she’d been waiting for this very moment, for her true mate.

She ruminated on that thought — or, more accurately, it was stuck on loop — until Olivia’s jackhammer pace finally slowed. Alex’s body, which had burned so fiercely before, relaxed into a warm, tingly sort of exhaustion, almost as though she’d slid into a steaming bath after a long day. Desire still stirred in her belly, but for the moment, at least, she was content.

Olivia swept her damp hair aside and began scattering kisses across her shoulders, her neck, her cheek. “Alex,” she whispered, her voice shaking audibly. “My Alex.”

“Liv.” Alex turned her head, gazing into the alpha’s soulful brown eyes. “I…”

Before she could say the three words she’d kept inside for the past several years, a loud, mechanical whining sound interrupted. Her brain, trapped as it was in the moment, tried to jumpstart, but burnt out before she could figure out what the noise was. She could only tell it was coming from the door to the room.

That realization made her stiffen. She didn’t want anyone to interrupt them. Olivia pressed down on top of her, forming a protective cage with her arms. Immediately, Alex felt safer. Nothing could harm her while Olivia was here.

The door burst open, and several alphas in full riot gear rushed into the room, weapons drawn. Alex whined with fear, and Olivia growled, giving an instinctive push of her hips to make sure her knot stayed buried as deep as possible.

“Shit,” one of them said, stopping short. “We’ve got a situation. Detective Benson, is that ADA Cabot?”

Olivia’s growl grew considerably louder.  _ “Mine,”  _ she snarled, daring any of the SWAT members to lay a hand on what was hers. Alex’s shudder of fear turned into one of delight. How lucky she was, to be so  _ owned. _

The alpha stepped forward, but one of her teammates put a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t. This could get dangerous.”

“We’re armed—”

“Doesn’t matter,” the other alpha, an older male, said. “You don’t get between a freshly mated pair. Trust me.”

Alex knew she should feel relieved for the rescue, but instead, she was supremely annoyed. How dare these interlopers barge in and ruin the most perfect moment of her life? She found herself growling along with Olivia, hoping to discourage them from intruding any further… at least, until a familiar face entered the room.

“Well, shit,” Elliot Stabler said, shaking his head as he surveyed the scene. Beside him was Captain Cragen, and numbly, Alex realized she should be embarrassed. That particular emotion was beyond her reach at the moment, but she was certain it would come later. She would have to work with these people once this was over, after all.

“What should we do, Captain?” the second SWAT member asked.

Cragen sighed, pinching the bridge of his forehead. “Olivia, can you understand me?”

Olivia continued growling, although the noise took on a questioning lilt.

“What about you, Alex?”

Her brain was still fried, but somehow, Alex managed a one-word response. “Yes?”

“Are you hurt?”

“No.”

“Everyone, out. Give them a minute to untie. Then, get them in the ambulance.”

***

The next several minutes were among the most frustrating of Olivia’s life. She wanted nothing more than to remain in bed with her new mate, to stay buried in the paradise of Alex’s pussy and fuck her for the next year at least. Unfortunately, reality had intruded at the worst possible moment.

Gradually, Alex coaxed her to withdraw her shrinking knot, then to pull up her pants. Though Olivia didn’t fully realize why she was being subjected to such tortures at the time, it hit her all at once as she stepped out of the building and into the back alleyway, where several cruisers and ambulances waited, flashing lights ablaze.

A hole opened in the bottom of her stomach as she glimpsed other omegas being shepherded into some of the ambulances. The ones she caught glimpses of seemed dazed, as though walking through a dream, although a few hugged the EMTs in gratitude. A couple, she noted, were being wheeled out in stretchers.

_ Shit. That could’ve been Alex… _

Guilt clogged Olivia’s throat. Suddenly, she couldn’t look at the omega beside her, even though Alex was nestled safely under her arm, wearing an oversized shirt and blanket someone had provided, practically hanging off the left side of her body.

_ That… that was Alex… oh god, what did I do? _

Perhaps due to their new mating bond, Alex picked up on her distress in a matter of moments. “Liv?” she asked, with an inquiring rise in her voice.

Olivia froze, knowing she should push Alex away, but unable to force herself to let go. The alpha part of her didn’t want to break contact with her mate, even unsatisfying contact with clothes in the way. The horrified part of her knew she had to give Alex some space, and fast. Eventually, she summoned the will to remove her arm and step aside.

“Alex,” she said, unable to meet the omega’s eyes. “I…”

Alex followed her, framing her face in both hands, forcing their gazes to meet.  _ “Don’t _ say you’re sorry. None of this was your fault. Do you understand?”

Olivia’s jaw dropped. She had no idea how to respond to that, because it absolutely  _ was  _ her fault. “But—”

“Stop.”

Alex leaned forward, resting her forehead against Olivia’s, allowing their breaths to mingle. Her scent was even more soothing than her voice, and best of all, Olivia could pick up traces of her own smell mixed in. Gradually, her tense muscles began to relax.

“I love you, Olivia. I have for years. This isn’t how I wanted us to mate, but I’m not sorry it happened. You  _ saved _ me.”

Olivia’s lower lip trembled. She remained still as a statue, unsure whether to cry or take Alex’s mouth in a kiss. Luckily, Alex took the plunge and kissed her first. It was tender rather than passionate, and it eased the worst of Olivia’s doubts.

The sound of someone clearing their throat caused the two of them to break apart. With her spirits considerably higher, Olivia found the confidence to position herself in front of Alex and face down whoever had come too close. It was one of the EMTs, a male omega, and he held up his hands, speaking in a non-threatening whisper.

“Detective Benson?”

Olivia nodded, staring at him with narrowed eyes. Someone must have told him her name.

“We aren’t going to separate you and your mate, but we need you to ride in one of the ambulances. The doctors should take a look at both of you.”

Olivia began to protest, but Alex looped an arm through hers, cuddling into her side. “Liv, do what he says.”

Although she didn’t want to, Olivia grudgingly allowed the male omega to lead them to the nearest ambulance. She helped Alex climb in back — the omega walked with a strained, wincing gait that spoke to the roughness she’d endured — and hopped up right behind her, allowing her mate to lie on the middle stretcher and taking the closest possible seat.

The EMT followed, preparing to close the doors. Before he did, Olivia caught a glimpse of Elliot and Cragen standing nearby, watching her with matching looks of concern. She forced herself to wave at them, and Elliot waved back.

“He’ll meet us there,” the EMT said.

Olivia was torn. As grateful as she was to Elliot, she was also embarrassed, and supremely angry with herself. She’d messed up the mission, blown her cover, broken all the rules, and forced SWAT to intervene. She’d put police officers and civilians in danger, including Alex. She didn’t even know if anyone besides the three men she’d taken down had gotten seriously hurt, or worse.

“Liv.” Alex rested a hand on her knee, gazing into her eyes. “It’ll be okay.”

Despite her fears, Olivia couldn’t help but believe it. Alex, at least, was safe. Many other omegas had been rescued. SVU didn’t get to enjoy victories like that every day, even though she hadn’t exactly contributed to the team’s success. The EMT finished closing the doors, shutting Elliot and Cragen away from view, and she breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn’t quite ready to face them yet.

Once everyone was fastened in, the ambulance driver pulled out of the alleyway and onto the street. A warm hand squeezed hers, and she couldn’t help but smile. Alex gazed up at her with an absolutely adoring look, and some of the fearful frost around Olivia’s heart melted.

_ My mate, _ she realized with a sense of unbridled wonder. She also realized that Alex had said something very important before, something Olivia hadn’t responded to in the moment. That was something she needed to correct immediately.

“Alex?”

Alex clutched her hand tighter, waiting with unconcealed hope.

“I love you, too.”

A huge smile broke across Alex’s face. It was all the reassurance Olivia needed.


End file.
